Especially Not Special
by Ryeloza
Summary: What if a child was born into the Halliwell family without powers? How would the family react? A short ficlet featuring the Charmed Ones and their offspring.


**Disclaimer: **I absolutely don't own any part of _Charmed_.

**A/n: **I was going through all of my old _Charmed_ fic because I've started a blog that I've decided to post all of my random fic on for people to enjoy. While I was going through, I found this little ficlet and really it's complete enough to work as a one-shot, so I decided to post it here. Enjoy, and please feel free to check out my blog: http (colon, backslash, backslash) ryeloza (dot) blogspot (dot) com for more _Charmed_ fic. Link also found on my profile page under the homepage link.

**Especially Not Special**

a story by **Ryeloza**

Everyone just assumed that Lena would end up just like her older sister. Nora's powers, after all, hadn't been detectable in the womb simply because she shared the same gift as their mother. Until Nora had learned to speak, no one had known that she had premonitions. _It's probably the same with Lena_, she'd overhear people reassure Mom. 

Those quietly whispered reassurances, in the kitchens of her aunts' houses, in their own living room, they worried her for a long time. Because Lena knew (she'd always, _always_ known) as well as she was sure her mom and her aunts and her cousins had known they had powers, that she didn't have any.

On her fifth birthday, she was standing outside of the kitchen door in their apartment, and, even though she knew she wasn't supposed to eavesdrop, she just couldn't help it. Mom and Aunt Piper were talking about her...how couldn't she be interested?

"Do you think she's just scared to tell us that she has powers?" Mom said. Lena had to lean in towards the door to hear her properly. "Maybe she sees what we do and it frightens her."

There was a long pause. So long, that Lena wondered if she just hadn't heard Aunt Piper. But then:

"Maybe. Or...well, Phoebe, did you ever think that maybe Lena just doesn't...have powers?"

Lena's stomach fluttered with nervous butterflies. How was it that Aunt Piper always knew _everything_?

"Of course I've thought it!" said Mom, her voice still in a low tone, but sharper now. Inside, Lena felt a growing dread that went all the way down to her toes. She couldn't help not having powers, but she didn't want to tell anyone. Everyone would be disappointed.

Before she could hear any more of the conversation, though, she felt a hand come down on her shoulder, and Lena whipped around so quickly that her long braid hit the kitchen door.

"Happy birthday, Lena," said Aunt Paige. She smiled at Lena, and Lena was sure that her aunt knew that she'd been listening to the conversation in the kitchen, but there was a reassurance in Aunt Paige's face that made some of the anxiousness inside of her dissipate.

"Thank you," said Lena quietly. Behind her aunt she could see Uncle Henry talking to Dad, with Ellie hanging on his legs. Ellie didn't have powers. Neither did Wil. She looked back at Aunt Paige again and felt hope rising inside of her. If Aunt Paige didn't care if her kids had powers, maybe she wouldn't care about Lena either.

"Can I tell you a secret?" asked Lena. She bit her lip and fought back the tears she could feel filling her eyes.

Aunt Paige looked surprised, but she nodded and bent down so she was just Lena's height. Lena swallowed the lump in her throat and leaned forward, whispering into her aunt's ear, "I don't have any powers."

Just for a second, Aunt Paige pulled back and looked right into her eyes and Lena was afraid that she'd made a terrible mistake. Maybe she should have told Dad or one of her uncles instead. Or just kept the secret locked up tight inside of her forever. But then, just as her tears started to spill over and run down her face, Aunt Paige pulled her into a hug so tight that she could hardly breath. Lena hugged back just as hard.

"Oh, sweetie," said Aunt Paige. "It's okay. It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does!" sobbed Lena, her words muffled in her aunt's shoulder. "Everyone is going to hate me now!"

"No! Oh, no. Honey, no one is going to hate you."

"Yes they will!" Lena insisted. Beside her she heard the kitchen door open, and she knew that Mom and Aunt Piper were standing there, staring at her, but she didn't care. She kept her eyes squeezed shut tight and didn't let go of Aunt Paige.

"What's going on?" asked Mom. "Lena, are you okay?"

Lena just cried harder, even though Aunt Paige was rubbing her back, just like Mommy did whenever she was upset.

"Paige, what's wrong with her?" asked Mom. She sounded angry. Or maybe scared. Lena couldn't tell.

"She'll be okay," said Aunt Paige. "She just told me a secret that she's been keeping for a long time. Come on, honey, you have to calm down." She felt Aunt Paige pull out of the hug a little, and she tugged on Lena's shoulders until she came out of the embrace and was facing her. Lena kept her head hung though; she didn't want to see anybody. "Take a deep breath," said Aunt Paige.

"Is Lena okay?" she heard Nora ask. Lena sniffed loudly and rubbed at her eye with her hand.

"She's okay," said Aunt Paige. "Go back into the living room and play a game with your cousins."

Lena hiccuped a couple of times and Aunt Piper bent down and handed her a tissue which she used to blow her nose loudly.

"Do you feel better now?" asked Aunt Paige. She gave Lena's braid a tug and Lena smiled just a little.

"Yeah," she said, surprised that it was true. "I do."

"Do you want to tell your mom what you told me?"

Lena looked up at Aunt Paige for the first time and shook her head. "Can't you do it?" she whispered.

"I could," conceded Aunt Paige. "But I think you'll feel better if you tell her yourself." Her aunt looked up at Mom and Lena reluctantly followed her gaze. Mom and Aunt Piper both looked worried, and Lena felt bad for upsetting them.

"I don't have any powers," said Lena softly. So softly she wasn't sure either of them heard. But then Aunt Piper got that sort of sad smile on her face, the same one she got when they talked about Aunt Prue, and Mom just let out a big breath and looked kind of like she was going to cry. She crouched down and opened her arms, and Lena crawled out of Aunt Paige's lap into Mom's.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," she said.

"Shh," said Mom. "There's nothing to be sorry about." She kissed the side of Lena's head and it made Lena feel a little bit like crying again. Then she pulled back so she could see Lena's face.

"Having powers or not having powers in this family doesn't matter," said Mom. "It's just like how your sister has blue eyes when you and Daddy and I all have brown. It's something that makes you you. And I wouldn't want to change _anything_ about you, honey." She leaned in and kissed Lena's forehead. "This whole family is going to love you no matter what."


End file.
